The story of Lamp of Life

Like many in the healing professions, I discovered a keen interest in helping others during my childhood. Some of my earliest memories include keeping vigil over chickens hatching out of eggs, and my most indelible memory of my great grandmother was when, about the age of six, I persistently located her chronically misplaced cane. As several of my family members were already nurses, it came as no surprise when I graduated high school on track to take the Nightingale Pledge myself.

The untold story, though, is that from a young age I was strongly inclined to all things related to health and healing, beyond the scope of Western medicine. My parents were (and, thankfully, still are) bibliophiles and provided me with ample fodder for whatever my interests seemed to be. I was particularly fond of textbooks, which had come to me secondhand in subjects like Anatomy & Physiology, Therapeutic Massage, and Fundamentals of Acupuncture. Out of my own curiosity and, guided by a rudimentary need to experiment, I became self-taught in the basics of assessment, intuition, and manipulation of energy. My teenage years saw me take this interest in a more mystical direction, journeying into the unknown via astral projection, Yoga, and Earth Magick.

Little did I know that these seemingly unrelated topics would converge- or that, in retrospect, they already had- deeply informing my professional career. After 14 long years of patient care in various settings, I finally arrived as a Registered Nurse. By this time, I’d learned a great many countless things related to bedside manner, health promotion, risk reduction, and the practical matters of nursing. I was ready to take my skills to the next level, and I did so by accepting a position in progressive care at a well-known neuroscience institute. Armed with a Littman stethoscope and a pair of Dansko’s, I fought the perils of inpatient care while moonlighting as a medicine woman… or, at least, preparing to be one. I took deep dives into Qi Gong, Yoga, Ayurveda, Astrology, Tarot, Reiki. I discovered the religious tradition best suited to me, and I learned as much as I could about its many facets. The guidance I received helped to clear my path of hindrances and made my intuitive abilities much stronger. At this time my calendar was fairly bursting with sound baths, sensory deprivation sessions, consciousness festivals, and Yoga workshops.

On something of a whim, I signed up for a Reiki I course, which led to my Reiki II two weeks later. In the 18 months between II and III, my life dramatically changed- ultimately, for the better. This had been foretold to me by my teacher, though I severely underestimated its reach. By the time I took up my Master training, I had moved into a new apartment, broke off an engagement, started a new job, and was teaching Yoga on the side. I had even begun seeing clients for energy healing; better yet, some of the patients I saw at work were ready recipients- with the blessing of their doctors, of course. I was busier and happier than ever, though it did feel like something of an eruption. All of these things, I could see, were grooming me in the direction of my two sides coming together, truly embodying the holistic nature of nursing.

Due to having met my now husband a few months after Reiki Master attunements (totally unrelated, I’m sure), I ended up moving from my home state of Florida to the Los Angeles area. In a strange, post-pandemic landscape I began facilitating sound healings and providing Reiki mini sessions. Through these short encounters it became imperative that I tune in deeply and observe viscerally, developing my own systems and methods for assessing, intuiting, and healing. I decided to integrate my nursing knowledge to educate and empower my clients regarding their concerns, coaching them toward wellness not just from a spiritual angle but also physiologically. The feedback I got was powerful, and I myself was experiencing some astounding things during the sessions. I was ready to take it to the next level, again. It wasn’t only time to see clients again for private sessions; it was time to officially make it my business. Lamp of Life is a nod to the iconic image of the lantern Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing, used while making her night rounds.

Today, I focus on deepening my skills and adding to my toolbox. My goal is to utilize my 20+ years of hands-on experience in healthcare to inform my offerings in Reiki and intuitive work, being a unique voice in the holistic community and an advocate for complementary practices’ place in the greater vision of health promotion.